News

MMI Preparatory School will host an information session about the Selective College Admission Process at schools like The University of Pennsylvania on Wednesday, May 3 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria. The event is open to the public. MMI is located at 154 Centre Street in Freeland.

MMI Preparatory School sophomore Andrew Decker placed among the top five in Pennsylvania at the Poetry Out Loud state competition in Harrisburg.

Decker, the son of Aaron Decker, Kingston, and Elizabeth and Troy Topolski, Sugarloaf, was one of only 15 students who advanced to the state finals out of a total of 7,000 students from across the state who entered the competition starting at the school level.

MMI Preparatory School freshman Philip Byriel was selected to the Wyoming Valley Conference Coaches Association Division 3 First team following the 2016-17 varsity basketball season.

The 6-foot-7 post player led the Preppers in scoring and rebounding with an average of 13 points and six boards per game. He also topped MMI in blocks and steals. He posted multiple double-digit scoring games this season, including a career-high 31 points in MMI’s victory over Hanover Area in February.

Four MMI Preparatory School students placed in the top four at the Pennsylvania School Press Association Student Journalism State Championships, which were held last month at Penn State University’s University Park campus.

Joshua Narrow and Julia Snyder both won the state championship in their respective categories. Narrow placed first in the Literary Magazine Poetry category, while Snyder topped the field in the Literary Magazine Artwork category. Danielle Pileggi received the State Reserve Champion title for finishing second in the Literary Magazine Artwork category and Chava Kornblatt was fourth in the Yearbook Photo Caption Writing category.

MMI Preparatory School senior Joshua Narrow was recently appointed the Hazleton City Poet Laureate during a meeting held at Hazleton City Hall on March 22. Narrow was selected out a group of creative writing students from schools throughout Greater Hazleton to fill the position.

The Poet Laureate has been recreated to help foster an appreciation for the humanities in the Hazleton area with the hope that students can get involved with various art-based organizations to exhibit their work.

MMI Preparatory School inducted senior Katherine Eschenbach and juniors Anna Haber, Talia Logerfo, Julia Snyder and Stephanie Zellner into the MMI Chroma Chapter of the National Art Honor Society during a ceremony at the school earlier this month.

During the ceremony, MMI art instructor Lisa Ferry welcomed guests and explained the history of the art honor society. Attorney Lee Ann Palubinsky ’02 was the guest speaker. Palubinsky earned a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from American University in Washington, D.C. and a juris doctorate degree from Barry University School of Law, where she specialized in constitutional law and First Amendment law. She is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and Hawaii. She was admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States in November of 2015 and is also liscenced to practice in the Federal District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Federal District Court of Hawaii and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

MMI Preparatory School will host its annual Open House this Sunday, March 26 from 2:00-4:30 P.M. The public is invited to attend the event where students will showcase their projects.

Each year, MMI students are challenged with preparing special research projects, which are displayed at Open House. Students in grades six through 12 will display, explain, and demonstrate their projects in classrooms and locations throughout the school.

Visitors will be able to observe a variety of student projects in the areas of literature, mathematics, science, and social studies. In addition, food projects prepared primarily by senior students will be featured. The food, which will be available for sampling, will be served in an atmosphere that fits with the theme and style of food.

Non-food projects are open to the public from 2:00-4:00 P.M., and culinary projects are open to the public from 2:30-4:30 P.M.

MMI students prepare all projects under the guidance of faculty advisers. The Math of the Stars, Sir Isaac Newton’s Discovery of Calculus, A Grimm End: The Origin of Fairy Tales, The Science of Chicken Egg Shells, Harry Potter Foods, and 3D Scanning in the Physical World are just a few of the projects that will be presented this year. Each project is then evaluated during Open House by a panel of judges from Penn State Hazleton. MMI’s in-house chef will evaluate food projects. The winners are then honored at a special assembly.

The MMI Prepper Playhouse is presenting Shrek The Musical, which was postponed last weekend due to the storm, this Friday, March 24, and Saturday, March 25, at 7:00 P.M. in the MMI Athletic and Drama Complex, 154 Centre Street in Freeland.

Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, Shrek The Musical is a Tony-Award winning fairy tale adventure, featuring songs from Jeanine Tesori and a book by David Lindsay-Abaire. Shrek brings all the characters you know from the film to life on the stage and proves there’s more to the story than meets the ears. “Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek,” and thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero (played by sophomore Andrew Decker) who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey (played by senior Evan Dryfoos) and a feisty princess named Fiona (played by sophomore Kaitlyn Bellizia) who resists her rescue. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy (Lord Farquaad, played by senior Garrett Kost), a cookie with an attitude and assorted fairy tale misfits and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero…Shrek!

Shrek the Musical is presented through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized materials are supplied through MTI. www.MTIShows.com.

Four MMI Preparatory School seniors advanced from the semifinalist round to become finalists in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Ali Aijaz, Anirban Chowdhury, Allison McGeehan and Nicholas Young, who received semifinalist recognition last fall, are among just 15,000 students nationwide to be named finalists in the 62nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

As finalists, Ali Aijaz, Anirban Chowdhury, Allison McGeehan and Nicholas Young have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth about $33 million that will be offered in the spring.

MMI Preparatory School junior Angelica Alday has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a President’s Volunteer Service Award.

The award, which recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country, was granted by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program on behalf of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. MMI nominated Alday for national honors this fall in recognition of her volunteer service.

Alday, the daughter of Dr. Senen Alday and Milagros Azcueta-Alday, Mountaintop, has participated in several volunteer activities in the region. She was involved in the Junior Volunteer Program through Geisinger Hospital for two summers and worked in the supply department at Geisinger last summer. She also volunteered in the St. Vincent DePaul soup kitchen in Wilkes-Barre. For two years, she volunteered in her church as a teacher's aide in religion class as well as playing violin in the church choir. This fall she started collecting shoes for the Shoe Drive to benefit the homeless shelter in Hazleton.

The MATHCOUNTS Competition Series is designed to cultivate talent in the nation’s brightest young minds by bringing together students from all 50 states in a one-of-a-kind competition consisting of a series of in-person contests.

The Competition Series, which was created in 1983, is the longest-running MATHCOUNTS program and is open to all sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students. The competition is comprised of four rounds—Sprint, Target, Team and Countdown Round. Altogether the rounds are designed to take about three hours to complete.

D. Scott Wiggins, MMI Head of School and Mock Trial adviser, said, “The performance of our student attorneys and witnesses was extraordinary. The magnitude of time and investment it takes to prepare oneself and carry forth in a courtroom in front of real judges and attorney juries is immense. While the teams did not prevail in the District 2 Championship round, I’m proud of how these 13 students performed and represented MMI during the competition.”

MMI junior Angelica Alday, the daughter of Dr. Senen Alday and Milagros Azcueta Alday of Mountaintop, was one of just 30 girls selected to participate in the Center For Women in Technology’s (CWIT) Bits and Bytes Program, which was held Feb. 19 and 20 at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), an honors university in Maryland.

For the 14th consecutive year, MMI Preparatory School will host the Grammy-nominated Wister Quartet for a public performance at the school on Monday, March 6, at 7 p.m. The performance is made possible through the support of Dr. James W. Feussner ’65 in memory of Elizabeth Feussner.

Once again this year, the Wister Quartet will perform with guitarist Allen Krantz, a critically acclaimed guitarist, composer and chamber musician. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the Athletics and Drama Complex on the MMI campus at 154 Centre St., Freeland. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Members of the quartet are violinists Nancy Bean and Davyd Booth, violist Pamela Fay, and cellist Lloyd Smith.

Forty-seven of MMI Preparatory School’s 76 entrants in ninth through 12th grades qualified to attend the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Pennsylvania State Leadership Conference, which will be held from April 2-5 in Hershey.

MMI students qualified for the state conference in 26 different individual and team competitive events during a regional competition at the Woodlands in Wilkes-Barre. The list of competitive categories includes: Business Calculations, Business Ethics, Business Law, Business Planning, Client Service, Computer Problem Solving, Cyber Security, Global Business, Health Care Administration, Help Desk, Insurance and Risk Management, Introduction to Business, Introduction to Business Procedures, Introduction to Financial Math, Introduction to Information Technology, Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure, Journalism, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Organizational Management, Personal Finance, Publication Design, Public Speaking, Public Service Announcement, Securities and Investments, and Sports and Entertainment Management.

MMI Preparatory School recently received a $1,000 contribution from FNCB Bank through the Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program to go toward need-based scholarships at the school.

MMI Director of Advancement Kim McNulty said, “On behalf of everyone at MMI Preparatory School, “I’d like to thank FNCB for their generous contribution. MMI students have received more than $3 million in direct scholarships thanks to the contributions from companies like FNCB since our EITC program’s inception in 2005. When you contribute to MMI through the EITC program, your gift directly supports funding for children in need to attend our school.”

FNCB Assistant Vice President Mike Cummings said, “Since 2010, FNCB has contributed almost $1.2 million dollars to local scholarship organizations through the EITC program. We are proud to help many deserving families attend schools such as MMI.”

Anden Karlick captured first place in MMI’s Sixth Grade Science Fair for his presentation on Root Systems and Erosion. John Schwear III placed second for his presentation on Tire Pressure in Bicycles and Jeffrey DeAngelo was third for his presentation on How Senses Change Your Taste.

The Science fair took place on January 27 in the MMI Cafe. All sixth grade students were required to complete a project, which they then showcased to the school and their families. Projects were judged by AP Science students and faculty.

Seventh grader Christian Homnack was the winner and classmate Connor Spencer finished as the runner-up in MMI Preparatory School’s competition as part of qualifications for the National Geographic Bee. MMI’s Geographic Bee competition, at which students answered questions on geography, was the first round in the 29th annual National Geographic Bee. As MMI’s winner, Homnack now has a chance to compete for a $50,000 college scholarship.

Christian Homnack is the son of Lori Pavell, Hazleton, and Dennis Homnack, St. Johns. Connor Spencer is the son of Christina and Christopher Spencer, Mountaintop.

Grete Floryshak, MMI Social Sciences instructor and adviser for the competition, said, “I’d like to commend Christian, Connor and all of MMI’s participants for their dedication to the competition. We’re honored to have Christian represent MMI as he advances to the state level of the competition.”

This past weekend, MMI students participated in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 9 Orchestra Festival at Elk Lake High School. Junior Angelica Alday earned second seat for violin and will advance to the PMEA Regional Orchestra Festival, which will be held March 9-11 at Bangor Area High School.

Junior Aaron Harman placed third in the orchestra seating auditions for trombone and freshman Molly O'Connell placed ninth in the violin section. Students were accompanied by music instructor Christine Lizbinski.

Six MMI Preparatory School students won a total of 16 awards in this year’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition. The students were honored during a recent awards ceremony at Marywood University.

Senior Evan Spear won the American Voices Medal for writers, the highest honor presented to a writer by the Scholastic Writing Awards. Only one writer from each region is presented with this award each year. Spear also received a Gold Key Poetry award.

The American Voices nominees are “Best in Show” awards that most exemplify originality, technical skill and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. Five works of writing from each region are selected by local judges as American Voices Nominees. These nominees are celebrated in local exhibitions and ceremonies. From the pool of nominees, an esteemed panel of jurors in New York City then selects one writer from each region to receive an American Voices Medal. These Medalists are recognized at the National Ceremony and Art.Write.Now exhibition in New York City.

Other recognized MMI students were: Junior Jaclyn Braunstein and sophomore Lauren Matyas who both won a Silver Key Poetry award and Matyas was an Honorable Mention selection in the Poetry category. Senior Joshua Narrow was a Gold Key Portfolio recipient and received four Silver Keys and one Honorable Mention selection in Poetry. Senior Olivia Minzola won a Gold Key for Portfolio, Silver Key awards in Personal Essay/Memoir and Flash Fiction and an Honorable Mentions in Poetry. Junior Hunter O’Clair was an Honorable Mention selection in Dramatic Script. MMI English instructors Jennifer Novotney and Donna Titus served as advisers for MMI students in the competition.

MMI Preparatory School received a $500 grant through the ExxonMobil Foundation that it will use toward its science and technology departments.

MMI was nominated for the grant ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grant by Liberty Petroleum Distributors of New Milford. The grant funds are specifically designated for math or science departments. MMI plans to use the grant money to fund a collaborative project between the Marine Biology and Robotics classes where students are working toward building Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles (ROVs).

Michael Mele, MMI Science Department Chair said, “We are so appreciative of the support for this cross curriculum project and for the dedication of our alumni and the organizations they represent in helping MMI continue to provide a strong academic program in both science and technology.”

Students in eighth, 10th and 12th grades delivered presentations as part of MMI Preparatory School’s annual “Best of the Best” program during an assembly held at the school. Sophomore Alyssa Sweda, the daughter of John and Jacqueline Sweda of Hazle Township, was the overall “Best of the Best” winner for the first semester for her presentation on Charleston, South Carolina.

The assembly program is designed to help MMI students improve and enhance their communication skills, which are important as they progress through high school, college, and beyond.

Additional “Best of the Best” presenters were senior Joshua Narrow, the son of Howard and Marie Narrow of Hazleton, for his presentation on Hamilton; sophomore Alexander Kline, the son of Dr. Gerard and Caterina Kline of Mountaintop, for his presentation on how to pack a suitcase; eighth grader Jacqueline Snyder, daughter of Dr. Christopher and Dr. Jill Snyder of Sugarloaf, for her presentation on superstitions; and eighth grader Louis DeAngelo, son of Grete Floryshak of Sugarloaf and Louis DeAngelo of Hazle Township, for his presentation entitled The Internet is Watching You.

MMI Preparatory School will be offering a full merit scholarship to the student who scores in the 95th percentile or above in one area of each section of its Entrance and Scholarship exam, which will be given on January 28, at 9 a.m. at MMI’s campus at 154 Centre Street in Freeland.

The full merit scholarship is only available to new students who sit for the Entrance and Merit Scholarship exam on January 28. The student who earns the scholarship has the opportunity to keep it throughout their time at MMI, provided they meet or exceed the established academic criteria.

The Entrance and Merit Scholarship exam is comprehensive in nature, assessing students’ general ability (verbal and quantitative), reading comprehension and mathematic achievement. Writing skills are tested as well with a short essay.

To register for the exam, please call the admissions office at 570-636-1108 by January 26. The exam will begin promptly at 9 a.m. and all registrants are encouraged to report to MMI’s Coxe Commons by 8:45 a.m.

A team of four MMI Preparatory School students placed third in all three categories in the annual Bloomsburg University Math Contest.

The team of Ali Aijaz, Anirban Chowdhury, Allison McGeehan and Nicholas Young placed third in Brain Teasers, Quiz Bowl and the Game of 24 card challenge. Ali Aijaz is the son of Fakhruddin and Dr. Naghma Aijaz, Mountaintop; Anirban Chowdhury is the son of Bhaskar and Saumitri Chowdhury, Hazle Township; Allison McGeehan is the daughter of Thomas and Sandra McGeehan, Drums; and Nicholas Young is the son of Christian and Nicole Young, Freeland.

Four MMI Preparatory School students qualified to compete in the Pennsylvania School Press Association 2016-17 State Journalism Contest during a regional competition at Penn State University’s Berks Campus.

Joshua Narrow, Danielle Pileggi, Julia Snyder and Chava Kornblatt earned the right to travel to Penn State’s University Park campus on March 29, 2017, to vie for the state championship in their respective categories. Danielle Pileggi and Julia Snyder both qualified in the Literary Magazine Art category, Joshua Narrow qualified in the Literary Magazine Poetry category and Chava Kornblatt qualified in the Yearbook Caption Writing category.

MMI Preparatory School sophomores Desiree Petrick and Elizabeth Eckhart were selected to represent MMI at the 2017 Central Pennsylvania Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) seminar, which will be held May 18-21 at Shippensburg University.

Desiree Petrick is the granddaughter of John Petrick, Freeland and Elizabeth Eckhart is the daughter of Charles and Kim Eckhart, Lehighton.

The four-day HOBY seminar focuses on the theme “Empower. Lead. Excel” while encouraging the young leaders to display responsible citizenship, including community service and volunteerism. Each September, HOBY sophomore registration kits are sent to more than 22,000 public, private, and charter high schools in the United States.

Six MMI student-athletes were honored for their performance during the fall sports season. Senior Dana Carrato was named to the Wyoming Valley Coaches Association Second Team and juniors Madison Perchak and Lauryn Banyas were honorable mention selections.

MMI Preparatory School sophomore Andrew Decker captured the regional Poetry Out Loud competition against students from parts of six counties and will advance to the state finals March 5-6, 2017 in Harrisburg. The winner of the state competition advances to the national championship in Washington, D.C.

Andrew Decker is the son of Aaron Decker, Kingston, and Elizabeth and Troy Topolski, Sugarloaf.

Jennifer Novotney, MMI English instructor and Poetry Out Loud adviser, said, “Andrew did a fantastic job and we are all very proud of him. It is an honor to have him represent MMI Preparatory School at the state finals.”

MMI Preparatory School English instructor Jennifer Novotney was one of only 13 teachers from across the country to receive the National High School Teacher of Excellence Award from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

The NCTE honors recipients with the High School Teacher of Excellence Award to recognize and celebrate exceptional high school classroom teachers. Novotney accepted her award during the annual conference in Atlanta in November where she was also a general session presenter during the second day of the four-day convention.

In his nomination remarks, MMI Assistant Head of School Charles Seidel said Novotney “is an exceptional teacher who always strives to bring out the best in her students. Additionally, she is always seeking to learn new methods and pedagogy and enjoys sharing her new insights with those around her. She is creative with her lessons, but sees her students as much more than vessels to be filled. She seeks to develop critical thinking skills, communication, collaboration, and creativity in all she does.”

Students at MMI Preparatory School honored their school’s founders, Eckley Brinton Coxe, and his wife, Sophia Georgianna Coxe, during an assembly at the school and graveside service on Wednesday, giving thanks for the Coxes’ contributions to the school and the area.

Students were treated to a Thanksgiving lunch, with the Parents Association providing pies and drinks, and an all-school assembly. Senior class officers presented a history of Eckley Coxe’s life, including the mining industry and the beginning days of the Mining and Mechanical Institute, the school he founded that is now known as MMI Preparatory School. They also spoke about Sophia Coxe’s contributions and generosity to the area. At the conclusion of the assembly, the senior class officers traveled to the grounds of St. James Episcopal Church in Drifton, where they held a wreath-laying ceremony at the gravesites of Mr. and Mrs. Coxe, more than 120 years after Eckley Coxe’s death.

Sophomore Andrew Decker won MMI Preparatory School’s Poetry Out Loud competition for the second consecutive year and will represent MMI in the televised regional Poetry Out Loud competition on December 7 at the WVIA-TV studios in Pittston. Senior Gabriella DeMelfi placed second and junior Chava Kornblatt finished third.

Andrew Decker is the son of Aaron Decker, Kingston, and Elizabeth and Troy Topolski, Sugarloaf. Gabriella DeMelfi is the daughter of Daniel and Esme DeMelfi of Hazleton, and Chava Kornblatt is the daughter of Joseph and Georgia Kornblatt of Kingston.

Jennifer Novotney, Katherine Zucco and Madison Below served as judges and Novotney is the MMI Poetry Out Loud faculty adviser.

MMI Preparatory School recently inducted 43 new members of the Andrew J. Stofan Chapter of the National Honor Society during a ceremony at the school.

MMI Interim Head of School D. Scott Wiggins welcomed guests and adviser and faculty member Donna Titus gave opening remarks and introduced the guest speaker, Captain Charles Stoffa ’88.

During the induction ceremony, chapter officers gave presentations on the criteria of the National Honor Society for its membership. Historian Gabriella Kupsho presented the history of the National Honor Society, Secretary Stephanie Zellner spoke about service, Treasurer Nicholas Young talked about scholarship, Vice President Lois Polashenski gave a speech on character and President Samuel Sessock spoke about leadership and inducted the new members.

Adviser and faculty member Katherine Zucco recognized the junior and senior members and gave closing remarks. MMI senior Gabriella DeMelfi provided musical accompaniment.

The Freeland American Legion honored MMI Preparatory School senior Garrett Kost following his attendance at the Pennsylvania American Legion’s Keystone Boys State program this past summer. Garrett Kost is the son of Joseph and Natalie Kost of Freeland.

Keystone Boys’ State is a week-long program held at Shippensburg University where rising high school senior boys from across the state gather to learn about Pennsylvania’s system of government. The 250 participants were divided into eight simulated cities, two simulated counties, and one simulated state. The students learned how to draft city laws and ordinances as well as the process of attempting to pass bills in counties and the state House of Representatives and Senate.

MMI Preparatory School will hold fall Visitation Night on Wednesday, Nov. 16, starting at 6 p.m. where families can learn more about an MMI education and the advantages the school offers for their children. Visitation Night gives students and parents an opportunity to come to MMI and explore the campus.

Families will learn about the small class sizes and individual attention at MMI. They will also get details about the school’s curriculum, which includes Advanced Placement classes, financial aid, athletics and extracurricular activities. Light refreshments will be offered. Families will also have the opportunity to tour the campus.

MMI student-athletes Dana Carrato and Garrett Kost were recently named the school’s winners for the prestigious Wendy’s High School Heisman award which highlights exceptional high school seniors and their achievements in the classroom, on the field, and in the community.